The focus of this small grant program is to investigate the use of mussel glue protein (MGP) as an adhesive for the transplantation of endothelial cells onto cornea. Such a study is without precedent and therefore is innovative and constitutes a high risk feasibility project. Nevertheless, the use of MGP for such purposes is promising because of its role as a biological adhesive in marine animal systems. Mussel glue protein is a term used to identify the underwater adhesive substance evolved by Mytilus edulis to attach to a wide variety of surfaces in its habitat. The glue protein exhibits strong adsorption to many surfaces at neutral pH including agarose, dextrans, ion exchange resins, collagen and heparin. This adsorptive tendency portends the glue protein's potential as a bioadhesive. Endothelial cells will be seeded onto various substrates prior to and following the coating of these substrates with MGP and incubated for variable time periods. The cells will be evaluated for possible toxic effects induced by MGP as well as for basic cellular parameters (e.g. growth, morphology, etc.). Contingent upon the results of this project, the data obtained from these experiments will serve as the basis for a more extensive study on the effects of MGP on transplanted endothelial cells in situ and in vivo.